Method for conditioning polishing pads

Abstract

A method for conditioning a polishing pad includes, pressing a conditioning surface of a conditioning pad comprising a first polymer against a polishing surface of the polishing pad comprising a second polymer, and producing relative motion between the pads such that measured characteristics of the polishing surface are changed.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for conditioning a polishing pad comprising the steps of; pressing a conditioning surface of a conditioning pad comprising a first polymer against a polishing surface of the polishing pad comprising a second polymer, and producing relative motion between the pads such that measured characteristics of the polishing surface are changed.  
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  in which the first polymer and the second polymer are polyurethanes.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  in which the hardness of the conditioning surface is greater than or equal to the hardness of the polishing surface.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  in which the conditioning pad comprises a urethane impregnated polyester felt.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  in which the first polymer and the second polymer are each polymers selected from the group consisting: acrylated urethanes; acrylated epoxys; ethylenically unsaturated organic compounds having a carboxyl, benzyl, or amide functionality; aminoplast derivatives having a pendant unsaturated carbonyl group; isocyanurate derivatives having at least one pendant acrylate group; vinyl ethers; urethanes; polyacrylamides; ethylene/ester copolymers or acid derivatives thereof; polyvinyl alcohols; polymethyl methacrylates; polysulfones; polyamides; polycarbonates; polyvinyl chloride; epoxys; copolymers of the above; or combinations thereof; and in which the first polymer and the second polymer are each present as a continuous matrix.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  in which the hardness of the conditioning surface is greater than or equal to the hardness of the polishing surface.  
     
     
         7 . The method as recited in  claim 1  wherein, the conditioning pad comprises a poromeric material comprising a porous thermoplastic matrix reinforced with a fiber network, the matrix being coalesced among the fibers to increase the porosity and hardness of the material, and wherein the matrix comprises a blend of at least two polymers, one of the polymers having a melting point higher than the other, whereby the higher melting point polymer is not substantially coalesced.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein, the polishing pad comprises a urethane polymer and the conditioning pad comprises a urethane polymer.